return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

[frankbicknell]

It seems like this should be easy but I just can't figure it out. Any help will be much appreciated.

What I am trying to accomplish is I have a list that has a dynamic image that when clicked opens an a5w page to view a pdf document (I have reasons for doing it this way).
The problem I am having is I want to change the page title to something meaningful. I have tried adding javascript to the page but it seems that you cannot have xbasic and javascript together in one a5w page. If i remove the xbasic code the javascript runs ok. as soon as I add the <%a5w %> tags no javascript.
I am hoping that I can return some javascript from the xbasic code similar to the way a callback returns javascript.

[-Jinx-]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

This may sound silly....but you aren't adding the javascript in between the %a5w and the %> are you? It should be in the html but not in between the a5 tags. Also, it will need to be normal html/javascript convention I believe. I have some javascript running in an a5 page and it looks like this:

<%a5
Xbasic code..............
%>
<script>
  document.getElementById('Userid').focus();
</script>

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

<%a5w
if file.exists(PdfFileName) then
response.mime_type = "application/pdf"
?file.to_blob(PdfFileName)
else
response.redirect("noPdf.a5w")
end if 
%>

<script type="text/javascript">
document.title = "Hello World";
alert('hello');
</script>

This is the code I have. The javascript does not run unless I remove the a5 tags and code. I am not getting any errors. I'm puzzled.

[-Jinx-]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Whoops, I missed that you were trying to return something.

To display something on the page within your Xbasic code you MAY be able to do this:

?<script>document.getElementById('Userid').focus();</script>

I have a line that puts a session variable on the screen so they know who is logged in:

?"You are currently logged in as: <b>" + session.user + "</b> "

That works for sure.

[-Jinx-]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Ah,
I think your quotes are screwing things up. Try this:

?"<script type=""text/javascript"">document.title = ""Hello World"";alert('hello');</script>"

I don't bother with giving it a script type and just use <script></script> so I wasn't having the problem....UNTIL I put that in and noticed the quotes.

Using single quotes within your double quotes instead of more double quotes will probably work too:

?"<script type='text/javascript'>document.title = 'Hello World';alert('hello');</script>"

[mikeallenbrown]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Frank, the very beginning of your code you have <%a5w ...should only be <%a5

I tried this code (see below) in live preview and i got the alert message.

<%a5 
dim a as n = 1

if a = 1 then
	'do something
else
	'do something else
end if
%>

<script type="text/javascript">
document.title = "Hello World";
alert('hello');
</script>

[Lenny Forziati]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

You are setting the MIME type to indicate that you will be displaying a PDF, then sending the PDF content. You cannot include JavaScript then because the PDF viewer is going to handle the response and doesn't know what to do with it.

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Thanks everyone. I had a typo in the code box I know its <%a5. It looks like I'm going to have to go to plan b.... hmmm just what is that...

[GGandhi]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

<%a5w
if file.exists(PdfFileName) then
response.mime_type = "application/pdf"
?file.to_blob(PdfFileName)
else
response.redirect("noPdf.a5w")
end if 
%>

<script type="text/javascript">
document.title = "Hello World";
alert('hello');
</script>

This is the code I have. The javascript does not run unless I remove the a5 tags and code. I am not getting any errors. I'm puzzled.

even if you were to remove the w from the top, the javascript is separate from the xbasic there is no connection nothing to return.

on the other hand try a simple a5w page with this code

<%a5 ?Date()
dim msg as c
msg = "<script>"
msg = msg + "alert('frank, this is working');"
msg = msg + "</script>"
?msg

 %>
<p><h1> Hello Frank </h1></p>

it will popup a message.
since javascript is nothing but characters you can print or send it to the browser just like any other character string.

place this in between body tags and run the a5w page

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Thanks for the response Govindan but it still does not work. As soon as I remove the response.mime_type line it all works. So it it exactly as Lenny said. I will have to rethink this whole thing. I can't even remember why I thought I had to open the pdf files this way. I think I tried it with a ux and open a pdf action java script but it could not find the files. I have the filename stored in a field and I am passing that value to the a5w page and it opens fine.

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

I am trying an alternative way to display a pdf. I would like to try using action javascript. Does any know the syntax for entering a lists field value in the pdf fileaname property? for a grid or a ux it is simply {field_name} I have tried all of the combinations of names I can think of but I am not getting anywhere
2015-06-22_11-59-55.png

[TheSmitchell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Does {list::NAME_OF_LIST::NAME_OF_FIELD} work?

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

When I use that I get a page that indicates that the address was not understood in firefox. I don't know how to see what alpha is sending. The filename field stores the full path and file name. Alpha must be adding http: instead of file: I guess.

It seems that I can't use the drive letter in this method of opening a pdf. It works fine when it is passed as a parameter to an a5w page. I'm not sure of what the difference is.

[Clipper87]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

set the list return value to the field that contains the full path spec of the pdf
create an action in the onclick event of the list to open a pdf in a window and specify for example that a file "c:\scratch\test.pdf" must be opened
verify that it works
now pass in the parameter 'this' in the runaction method
edit the action & convert to text
replace the literal pdf file name with objEle.value
done

see this video: http://screencast.com/t/SueeL1QQ

edit: attached sample component (make sure you have a pdf file "test.pdf" in c:\scratch or chage the list data for the component to work test.a5wcmp

[frankbicknell]

Re: return javascript from xbasic in a5w page.

Thank you for the detailed example. That has shown me how I can see more of whats going on behind the scenes.
I still cannot get this thing to work. There is something wrong with the open pdf dialog or the way I am trying using it is not allowed.
I tried using and following your sample but I get the same results.
Just to be clear my list returns the primary key, the filename is in a field in the list. I am opening the pdf from a dynamic image added to the field list.

If I hard code the filename with path eg c:\folderone\foldertwo\file.pdf in the pdf filename property field of the action javascript - open a web page or pdf file dialog. When running live preview with IE the pdf opens fine. With firefox I get an error indication that it does not like the (c) in the file path. On the server ie opens a window but the pdf never loads, firefox reports the same error.
The open pdf dialog is doing something to the filename because if I take that same field and pass it as a parameter to an a5w page that opens the pdf with the file to blob method it works fine in both ie and firefox.
Maybe it has something to do with having so many lists on one page.

I have wasted so much time on something that should be simple. I have to move on to other things. Alpha has wore me out on this one. (at least 10,000^100 mouse clicks)
All is not lost I can still open the pdfs I just wish I could have a meaningful title when using the a5w page method.

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